Six candidates who had registered up for the June presidential election have pulled out of the race so far, Iran's Elections Headquarters says.

Seyyed Solat Mortazavi, the secretary of the headquarters, said on Tuesday First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Agricultural Jihad Minister Sadeq Khalilian and Ali Akbar Javanfekr, an advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, were among the hopefuls who have officially withdrawn their bids for presidency.

The registration of hopefuls for the June 14 election began on Tuesday, March 7 at Iran’s Interior Ministry and ended on Saturday, March 11.

A total of 686 individuals signed up for the race.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election, and the Guardian Council vets the candidates.

The Iranian Constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be religious or political figures, be Iranian by origin, have Iranian citizenship, possess managerial skills, have no criminal record, be trustworthy and pious, and have firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion.